Every April the National Council and Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) organizes Alcohol Awareness Month as a way of increasing outreach and education for alcoholism and alcohol related issues. The theme for the month this year is "Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow". To go along with this theme, the NCADD plans to fill the month local, state, and national events "aimed at educating people about the treatment and prevention of alcohol addiction, particularly among our youth, and the important role that parents can play in giving kids a better understanding of the impact that alcohol can have on their lives."
According to the NCADD, one in every 12 adults, or 17.6 million people, suffer from alcohol use disorder or alcohol dependence. While awareness of alcohol abuse continues to grow there is still a stigma and barriers to treatment. To help with this here are just a few ways to knowledge Alcohol Awareness Month:
Encourage friends or family members to make small changes, like keeping track of their drinking and setting drinking limits.
Ask your doctors and nurses to put out alcohol awareness information in their office.
Host a community event where people can learn about local addiction resources, post on social media about alcohol awareness, or contact relevant organizations and have them add information about alcohol abuse to their websites or newsletters.
If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol abuse, call 1.800.622.2255.
